Every student will be a contributing member of their community and highly prepared for life after graduation.
Kindergarten Curriculum Overview
This brochure has been written to inform you about the academic program, skills, and concepts being studied in kindergarten. It is intended to give you a broad overview of the core subjects, instructional goals and learning expectations your child will experience. Newington has a strong comprehensive curriculum, which includes sequential instruction at every grade in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, and wellness.
Literacy is the focus of the kindergarten program. Kindergarten students explore the world around them through discussion, literature, drama, and writing. Students are immersed in a literature-rich environment with direct instruction in phonemic awareness, concepts about print, letter recognition, sound-letter relationships, and sight words. Students develop as readers and writers.
The kindergarten program includes reading aloud, in which the teacher reads aloud literature to develop literacy skills; shared reading, in which teachers demonstrate reading skills; guided reading, in which the child does the reading and receives instruction; and independent reading, when students read books they have chosen.
Writing includes modeled writing, where the teacher demonstrates; interactive writing, where the teacher and children contribute language, letters, words and phrases; and independent writing, where the child practices writing at his or her own level (picture writing, scribble writing, random letters, letter sounds, spaces between words, or a complete sentence).
Students will:
Children are born mathematicians. It is the goal of the kindergarten curriculum to enhance and expand children's inherent mathematical ideas and understandings. Through daily instruction, group work, and independent practice, children explore new concepts and skills by way of hands-on activities and real-world problems.
Students will:
KINDERGARTEN MATHEMATICS PACING GUIDE
Kindergarten students are encouraged to explore and discover new ideas in science. The students make observations and predictions; ask questions and present information in words and drawings. The students learn to utilize their five senses as they observe the similarities and differences of common objects. This is extended to living things as the kindergarteners distinguish what is living from what is nonliving. Weather conditions are observed daily and seasonally. An exploration of how night and daytime differ is also included. Finally, the students explore how humans use different types of materials to build shelters.
In Kindergarten, students engage in the study of themselves, their family, and their community and learn how to participate and use effective citizenship skills. They will explore their classroom, school, neighborhood, and home communities through an interdisciplinary approach including history, civic, economics, and geography. The study of themselves, their family, and their community requires that students generate and research compelling questions such as:
The technology education program provides students with direct instruction and practice in technology skills on a graduated basis. Students acquire a working knowledge and understanding of various devices, using a mouse, and features on a keyboard. Students demonstrate mastery of skills by completing grade-appropriate activities and projects.
All students in Newington are encouraged to appreciate and demonstrate respect, responsibility, and empathy. The goal of our health program is for students to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Students practice making healthy and appropriate decisions throughout each school year. In kindergarten, students learn what it means to be a good friend. The students explore the emotions we all experience, yet they also learn that they need to respect the privacy of others. Kindergartners learn how to begin to care for themselves by exercising and getting enough sleep, brushing their teeth, choosing healthy snacks to eat, and washing their hands to minimize germs.
KINDERGARTEN HEALTH AND WELLNESS SCOPE AND SEQUENCE
Art education promotes the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills as well as self-awareness, self-expression, and well-being. Art education also offers unique, creative experiences that help build self-esteem. The elementary art program promotes interdisciplinary experiences that aid students in the integration of ideas, concepts and processes, and in the development of a holistic perception of their world.
Students will:
Music education enhances learning, communication, creativity, teamwork, discipline, cultural awareness, respect for others and self-esteem through personal accomplishment. The music program develops these skills in children to help them succeed in school, society, and in life.
Students will:
The Wellness program in kindergarten is based on movement concepts and skill themes. It is a child-centered movement program designed for young children. The program provides planned experiences concerned with what the body can do, how the body can move and where it can go. As the children learn these skills, the skills are then placed into the components of educational dance, educational gymnastics, and educational games.